Weekly Update for March 6: Women Centric, Directed, and Written Films Playing Near You

FILMS ABOUT WOMEN OPENING

Go Back to China – Written and Directed by Emily Ting (Also Available on VOD)

This semi-autobiographical film follows spoiled rich girl Sasha Li (Anna Akana), who after blowing through most of her trust fund, is forced by her father (Richard Ng) to go back to China and work for the family toy business. What begins simply as a way to regain financial support soon develops into a life altering journey of self-discovery, as Sasha discovers her passion for toy designing and learns to reconnect with her estranged family

Read Women and Hollywood’s interview with Emily Ting.

Find screening info here.

Hope Gap

The intimate, intense, and loving story of “Hope Gap” charts the life of Grace (Annette Bening), who is shocked to learn her husband (Bill Nighy) is leaving her after 29 years of marriage, and the ensuing emotional fallout the dissolution has on their only grown son (Josh O’Connor). Unraveled and feeling displaced in her small seaside town, Grace ultimately regains her footing, and discovers a new, powerful voice.

Swallow (Also Available on VOD)

“Swallow”

On the surface, Hunter (Haley Bennett) appears to have it all. A newly pregnant housewife, she seems content to spend her time tending to an immaculate home and doting on her Ken-doll husband, Richie (Austin Stowell). However, as the pressure to meet her controlling in-laws and husband’s rigid expectations mounts, cracks begin to appear in her carefully created facade. Hunter develops a dangerous habit, and a dark secret from her past seeps out in the form of a disorder called pica — a condition that has her compulsively swallowing inedible, and oftentimes life-threatening, objects. A provocative and squirm-inducing psychological thriller, “Swallow” follows one woman’s unraveling as she struggles to reclaim independence in the face of an oppressive system by whatever means possible.

Extra Ordinary – Written by Maeve Higgins, Mike Ahern, Enda Loughman, and Demian Fox

Rose (Maeve Higgins), a sweet and lonely Irish driving instructor, must use her supernatural talents to save the daughter of Martin (Barry Ward) from a washed-up rock star who is using her in a Satanic pact to reignite his fame.

Find screening info here.

Queen of Paradis (Documentary) (Opens in LA) (Also Available on VOD)

After selling out her first exhibition in Los Angeles in 2016, artist Reine Paradis embarks on a dangerous and surreal road trip across the United States to complete her next body of work. It’s an all-out adventure, an intimate story, and a bold examination of what it takes to make art today.

Guilty – Directed by Ruchi Narain; Written by Ruchi Narain, Atika Chohan, and Kanika Dhillon (Available on Netflix)

When a college heartthrob is accused of rape by a less popular student, his girlfriend navigates various versions of the story in search of the truth.

FILMS MADE BY WOMEN OPENING

First Cow – Directed by Kelly Reichardt; Written by Kelly Reichardt and Jonathan Raymond

“First Cow”

Set in the early 1800s Pacific Northwest, a quiet but skilled cook (John Magaro) travels west and joins a group of fur trappers in Oregon Territory. There he finds a true connection with a Chinese immigrant (Orion Lee) who’s also seeking his fortune, and soon the two collaborate on a successful business — which is contingent on secretly involving a nearby wealthy landowner’s prized milking cow.

The Banker – Written by Niceole Levy, George Nolfi, David Lewis Smith, Stan Younger, and Brad Caleb Kane (Available on Apple TV+ March 20)

“The Banker”: Apple

Inspired by true events, “The Banker” centers on revolutionary businessmen Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson), who devise an audacious and risky plan to take on the racist establishment of the 1960s by helping other African Americans pursue the American dream. Along with Garrett’s wife, Eunice (Nia Long), they train a working class white man, Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult), to pose as the rich and privileged face of their burgeoning real estate and banking empire.

Tokyo Godfathers (Theatrical Re-Release) – Written by Keiko Nobumoto and Satoshi Kon (Select Cities March 9 and 11 Only)

In modern-day Tokyo, three homeless people’s lives are changed forever when they discover a baby girl at a garbage dump on Christmas Eve. As the New Year fast approaches, these three forgotten members of society band together to solve the mystery of the abandoned child and the fate of her parents. Along the way, encounters with seemingly unrelated events and people force them to confront their own haunted pasts, as they learn to face their future, together.

Find screening info here.

Sulphur and White – Written by Susie Farrell (Opens in the UK)

City of London, trading floor, 2008. In a world of cutthroat deals it takes a unique person to succeed. Single-minded to the point of ruthlessness, David (Mark Stanley) is this person. But beyond the aura of success lies a secret. There are layers to David — once chipped away, what lies behind the facade? As David climbs the corporate ladder, the past threatens to rise up and engulf him. As he struggles, a woman comes into his life. There have been many, but Vanessa (Emily Beecham) is different. David is desperate to hold on to her, while she believes in a future for them. But can David keep the secret of his past at bay?

Zenek – Written by Marta Hryniak (Opens in the UK)

Zenon Martyniuk, a boy from the Podlasie village, realizes his greatest dream is to sing and entertain the crowds. This film shows Zenek’s path to enormous success, which he achieved thanks to persistence and hard work.

TV PREMIERES

Hillary (Docuseries) – Directed by Nanette Burstein (Premieres March 6 on Hulu)

“Hillary”: Sundance Institute

A remarkably intimate portrait of a public woman, “Hillary” interweaves revealing moments from never-before-seen 2016 campaign footage with biographical chapters of her life. Featuring exclusive interviews with Hillary Rodham Clinton herself, Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, friends, and journalists, the series examines how she became at once one of the most admired and vilified women in the world.

Into the Dark: Crawlers (TV Movie) – Written by Catherine Wignall and Mike Gan (Premieres March 6 on Hulu)

“Crawlers” is set on Saint Patrick’s Day — a night of wild parties and drunken revelry — and follows three unlikely friends who band together to save a college town from a vicious horde of body-switching aliens.

Sitara: Let Girls Dream (Short) – Written and Directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (Premieres March 8 on Netflix)

“Sitara”

“Sitara: Let Girls Dream” takes the audience on a journey through the old city of Lahore where a 14-year-old girl, Pari, dreams of becoming a pilot. Her story is told through the perspective of her six-year-old sister, Mehr, who is unaware of the traditions and barriers that lay in the path of women from her family. It is a story about the burdens of a family and the impact of a culture where girls are still struggling to fully realize their dreams.

Women of Troy (Documentary) – Directed by Alison Ellwood (Premieres March 10 on HBO)

“Women of Troy”

“Women of Troy” explores the transcendent career of the Cheryl Miller-led USC Trojans and their impact on women’s basketball. The Women of Troy arrived at the University of Southern California as Title IX’s influence in women’s sports first emerged. Their ability to overcome adversity on and off the court propelled them into national prominence, winning two national titles and becoming the first women’s collegiate team to visit the Ronald Reagan White House.

Meghan Markle: Escaping the Crown (Documentary Special) (Premieres March 10 on Vice TV)

This hour-long special takes a deep dive into the rapid rise and unraveling of the Duchess of Sussex, investigating the role that the monarchy and British tabloid media have played in vilifying Britain’s first black princess. As the saga continues with Harry and Meghan’s loss of royal branding, the documentary confronts issues of race, prejudice, and obsession in a story that now threatens to upend one of the longest-running institutions in the world.

Marc Maron: End Times Fun (Comedy Special) – Directed by Lynn Shelton (Premieres March 10 on Netflix)

The end is near in Marc Maron’s newest Netflix original stand-up special, “End Times Fun.” In his signature style of raw, honest, and thought-provoking comedy, Maron touches on trying to “stay woke,” the importance of taking Turmeric, life before cell phones, and vaccinating children against measles, mumps, and Marvel movie fans.

VOD/STREAMING RELEASES

“Little Women”

The Dark Red (VOD, Available Now)
The Social Ones – Written and Directed by Laura Kosann (VOD, Available Now)
1917 – Written by Krysty Wilson-Cairns and Sam Mendes (VOD, March 10)
Bombshell (VOD, March 10)
Charlie’s Angels – Written and Directed by Elizabeth Banks (VOD, March 10)
The Grudge (VOD, March 10)
Little Joe – Directed by Jessica Hausner; Written by Jessica Hausner and Géraldine Bajard (VOD, March 10)
Little Women – Written and Directed by Greta Gerwig (VOD, March 10)
Recorder: The Marion Stokes Project (Documentary) (VOD, March 10)
Stuffed (Documentary) – Directed by Erin Durham (VOD, March 10)
Transference: Escape the Dark – Written by Jennifer Lloyd, Matthew Ninaber, and Aaron Tomlin (VOD, March 10)
The Witch: Subversion (VOD, March 10)
The Wolf Hour (VOD, March 10)

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If you identify as a woman, we’d love for you to be a part of this exciting new adventure. Never before have we been able to gather in one location to learn from each other and to push for systemic change. If you would like an invitation to this community, please email girlsclubnetwork@gmail.com and let us know a bit about who you are and what you do.

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